Life's guiltiest of pleasures: soap operas.

There are so many riviting performances lately on One Life To Live lately, that I must give kudos all around.
But there’s one person who never fails to entertain, whether it’s a light-hearted moment or a serious situation…John-Paul Lavoisier as Rex Balsom.
Rex came onto the scene as a kind of a scammer…a bad boy always looking to make a quick buck….a younger version of David Vickers (Tuc Watkins).
But over the years, he has grown and matured into a loyal, do-the-right-thing kinda guy…
This, in large part, due to his close friendship with Bo Buchanan (Robert S. Woods), who has always been one of my favorites.
Bo is the epitomy of do-the-right thing.
I also think Jen’s murder turned a corner for Rex on a path to being a better person.
He really loved Jen and her murder was devastating for him.
He also bonded in grief with Marcie and Lindsay – friendships that have lasted and flourished over the years.
In fact, his friendship with Marcie led to his pact with her husband, Michael, keeping the secret that their adoptive son, Tommy, was really Todd Manning’s lost son.
And, boy, was Rex ever loyal to Michael during that entire situation.
But it really struck me just how far Rex has come during the past few weeks and particularly during Monday’s episode, when he told Adriana that their days-old marriage is over.
Rex – who was known to lie and scheme during his early days in Llanview – tells Adriana he can’t overlook her scheme to bring Brody to Llanview in order to keep Gigi Morasco (Farah Fath), Rex’s high school sweetheart, away from him.
He also is brutally honest – telling Adriana (Melissa Fumero) that he was having doubts about marrying her before the wedding.
Rex and Adriana have gone through a lot to be together, that’s for sure.
Remember when Dorian set up that whacko stalker and made it look like Rex? She almost got Adriana killed that time.
Rex and Adriana talked through their tears Monday as they neared their final split.
I’m sure part of the sadness was real…
Fumero is leaving the show and these were some of her last scenes.
Much luck to Melissa in her new endeavors.
As for Rex, he still needs to find out that Shane is his son – A.S.A.P.

3 thoughts on “Rex Balsom, How Far You’ve Come”

SallyV
June 10, 2008 at 9:05 am

I’ve always loved JPL, but the character of Rex was almost unwatchable when he was paired with Adriyawnna. The only time they were interesting together is when she turned into “Bitchy Bangs” a few months ago. I’m glad this relationship is over!
I hope that Rex and Gigi (hate that name) are more interesting, and they should be when Rex finds out Shane is his son. Lots of potential storylines there.

Kara
June 10, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Hi, Sally.
I thought Rex and Adrianna were cute in the beginning. Eventually, though, I just wanted them together because I knew that’s what Rex wanted. (Does that even make sense? LOL) Yeah, I know, he’s fictional, but I like the character so much that I just want to see him happy. So I’m not majorly sad to see Adrianna go. Not sure about Rex with Gigi, but I do believe she loves him and would be good for him (if she ever gets her head on straight and actually tells the poor guy he’s Shane’s father. Sheesh!)
And Michele? I so adore you for writing about JPL as Rex. He and Bo (Robert S. Woods) are two of my OLTL faves as characters/actors. (Tuc Watkins as David Vickers is in there, too, but I consider him more of the recurring status.) When Bo/Rex started having scenes together it just solidified my growing Rex love. Sigh. Now if only the guy could catch a break. JPL does drama just as well as comedy, but I sure do miss seeing his cute smile 🙂

Kimi
June 15, 2008 at 1:07 pm

I can’t remember the last time I actually *liked* Rex/Adrianna together. They bored me to tears most of the time & Adrianna never really caught on for me. But I did like watching her as the beotch, she’s never been more watchable for me.
I’m a little behind on OLTL right now, but I did see Rex kick Adrianna to the curb. I was glad she didn’t tell him about Shane, let Gigi take the heat for that one. I think Rex is being a little hypocritical given his past, but I do like him with Gigi & those possibilities. Wonder how Brody will eventually fit into this equation or if he will.
So who actually put that note in Rex’s folder? Brody or Dorian? Dorian really seemed like she had nothing to do with it (I am a little behind she may have already admitted it)

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Welcome to Soapbox1, a blog focusing on one of life’s guiltiest of pleasures – soap operas.

We discuss what we love and what puts us in an Erica Kane-like snit about today’s daytime and nighttime serials.

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